THE WESTERN FRONT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 867, 20 November 1916, Page 8

THE WESTERN FRONT.

BRITISH STILL ADVANCE. TROOPS REACH GRANDCOURT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, November 18. Sir Douglas Ilaig reports:—Our position was advanced north-east of Beaumont-Hamel, and north of Beaucourt (on the south bank of the Ancre). | The enemy heavily shelled Beau- j mont-Hamil and Hebutcrnc. I We raided a redoubt north of j Ypres. LONDON, November 19. Sir Douglas Ilaig reports:—Despite] storms, we advanced our front north and south of the Ancre, but chiefly; south. We reached Ihe outskirts of Grar'lcourt. Eignt enemy aeroplanes were brought down. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. (Bcceived November 20, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, November 19. Sir Douglas Ilaig reports:—The weather is stormy. The position is unchanged. HEAVY BOMBARDMENTS. ACTIVITY IN THE AIR. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, November 18. Sir Douglas Haig reports:—The prisoners taken since November 13, total 0191. We heavily bombarded trench lines in the neighbourhood of Loos and Hulluch. Our aeroplanes bombed two important junctions on the enemy's lines of communication. Five enemy machines were brought down. THE FRENCH SECTOR. WEATHER CAUSES DELAY. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS, November 18. A communique says:—Bad weather is interfering with the Somme operations. Six enemy aeroplanes were brought down. A. and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, November 19. A French communique says:—A German attack east of Bcrney, south of the Somme, was repulsed. Our air squadrons dropped bombs on German aerodromes at Golan- i court and Grisolles. THE GERMAN ARMIES. BEST MEN HAVE GONE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association LONDON, November 18. The "Petit Parisien" states that a German staff officer, who was captured at Beaumont-Hamel, said that the present German soldiers were in no way comparable to von Kluck's; and von Bulow's men in 1911. The i finest troops had melted away under j the French and British gun lire, so ! that the few who remained could j only be used to stiffen the young j recruits. The old men amongst the | latter were dummies, and had no heart for fighting, and never lost an opportunity of surrendering. If the Allies pierce the lines, then Bapaumc must fall, as there were no available reserves there." A GERMAN" REPORT. BRITISH EFFORTS CHECKED. 1. and N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. (Received November 20, 10.55 a.m.) LONDON, November 19. A German official message claims that German aeroplanes successfully bombed rn aerodrome at Furnes, in j West Flanders. I An English effort to break through j on both banks of the Ancre, prepared by tremendous artillery fire, was shattered. Fighting is proceeding at Grandcourt.

CRISIS IN GERMANY.

KINDENBURG IS ANXIOUS. GREAT CHANGES NEEDED. Reuter's Telenrams. AMSTERDAM, November 18. Marshal von Hindenburg, in a letter to Heir von Bethmann-Hollweg, says:—"Germany is facing a terrible crisis, and great changes are necessary to meet it." lie denounces the Food Department's failure adequately to feed munition workers, the greed of the agrarians who are retaining products, and the sluggishness of officials who fail to recognise the life and death nature of the war. THE NEW SYSTEM. MUNITION WORKERS FIRST. Australian 'and N.Z. Cab'e Association. ROTTERDAM, November 18. An important feature of the German scheme of reorganisation consists of a measure to obtain increased supplies of food for munitions and industrial workers in winter. Evefy private interest will be sacriliccd to increased production, and munition vorkcrs will have first call upon foods, especially upon fats. THE RAILWAY SERVICE. INTERRUPTED BY MILITARY. Australian, 0r,,! TI.Z. Cable Association. ROTTERDAM, November 18. Owing to the pressure caused by the transport of provisions and war material, the general railway transport service of Germany was suspended three days {it this week-end.